Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/104

 found to coincide with those published by the naturalists of the French expedition, and with the uninterrupted series of modern observations. At the same time the floods oscillate within certain extreme limits. Sometimes there is insufficient water to supply all the canals, while in other years the overflow is excessive, and on these occasions the land does not dry soon enough to insure good harvests.

The rate of the land-tax generally varies according to the height and volume of the river. Hence the public crier appointed to proclaim the state of the

inundations has often been compelled by the Government to make false reports on this point. The day when the Nile reaches the proper level for cutting the dykes separating it from the irrigation canals is a day of rejoicing for all the riverain populations. Formerly a young maiden was on this occasion borne with great pomp to the river and cast into the seething waters, in order to obtain abundant crops from the local divinity. Now her place is taken by a dressed-up doll, which is still offered by the public executioner, a curious reminiscence of former an

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sacrifices,. mm